Elevator-door.



B. WEXL'ER.

ELEVATOR DOOR.

-APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. I917`.

1,295,655, v- I Piment-ed Feb.25,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

B. WEXLER.

' ELEVATOR DOOR.

APPLxcATloN FILED DEc.3,1911.

1,295,655 l Patented Feb 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- d2 mm \A W y NNN@ sVrArns PATENT orrion.

BENJAMIN WEXLER, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIGNOR y'ro THE rnELLE COMPANY,y f A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. i

ELEvA'roR-DOOR.

Specification. of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 25, 1919,

Application` filed December 3, 1917. Serial No. 205,034.

Y had therein to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to elevator doors and more particularly to av type of automatic or self-closing fireproof door and in the mechanisms for stopping and holding said door in the opened position. The invention of this application is an improvement in the type of door patented to me March 10th, 1914, by Letters Patent No. 1,089,451.

Elevator doors of the type to which my inventionrelates, are ordinarily used for closing the -door openings in a shaft for freight elevators, and are therefore of fairly large dimension and possess considerable weight. It is a common practice to manufacture these doors at the factory, and to adjust. them with relation to the door opening, when installing them in the elevator shaft. lthas been found in practice, however, that consideralole difliculty is expeto the wall within the elevator shaft, it being impossible to vary the relation of this frame to thedoor sill after it once had been in.-

stalled. Furthermore, the time Vand labor required to install these mechanisms, added materially to the cost of the installation, and required considerable skill in order-to secure the proper relation 'of parts. Y.

By means of my Lpresent invention, I am enabled to provide an elevator door, the stop and latch mechanisms' of'which may -be acadjustment when mounting the door in the elevator shaft, so as topermit the door to be so set as to bring the top of the lower door section thereof on substantially the level of the sill of the door openinfr without varying the relative operative positions of the stop and the latch mechanism. The construction of thesemechanisms is such that irrespective ofthe degree of adjustment thereof, that relation of thestop and the latch members determined during the manufacture of the door structure while in the factory, remains constant irrespective of the degree of adjustment thereof necessary to insure the positioning and locking of the lower door section in the proper relation to the sill. The stop and latch'mechanism instead -of being permanently applied to the rail after it is secured to the wall of the elevator shaft,- are mounted upon the'vertical rail carrying the guides. for the shoes ofthe door sections, by means of a member permanently secured to this rail while in the factory, said mechanisms being readily separable from the rail at all times, thus not only facilitating the simultaneous .adjustment of these `mecha-y nisms with` relation to .the rail and the'sill of the door opening, but the `installation of' the door in the shaft. Furthermore, the initialcost of production and/the cost of installation, are materially reduced,

The stop and latch mechanisms areso'constructed as to'be capable of'use with top bars of different standard dimensionsy without material alteration and permit the production thereof with a minimum of machine nishing thereon. f

. rlhe invention consists primarily in an elevator door embodyingtherein the combination with an overbalanced, downwardly movable, slidingjdoor section having a laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and guide rails secured adjacent the door opening cooperating with said door, of a combined stop andl latch mechanism comprising a lock L00 plate permanently secured to a guide rail,

a fitting havingV a stop shoulder thereon adapted to loe operativelyV engagedrby the-v bottom of the end of said hanger bar, a latchmembery carried by said fitting adapted to engage the top of said hanger bar when the door is openedVsaid tting andv said lock plate being'provided with cooperating means whereby said -stop member and said latch member may be simultaneously adjusted Without disturbing' the relative positions thereof With relation to said hanger bar, and meansk securing said Vfitting.y and said` lock plate in any adjusted position',A and-- means carried by an elevator car coperating With said latch member whereby the releaseo'f the latch member is prevented While a car is at thedoor opening and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts, as are hereinafter setforth and described and more particularly pointed out in` the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure' l: is front elevation of a portion of an elevatorv door e'In-bodyingix'ny invention, a portion of the hanger. bar being broken away to more clearly disclose thel` structure of the latch. member;

Fig.4 2 is a side vieni thereof shoavingthe shoe carried by the cai in operative relation to said latch mechanism;

Fig, 3 is' a plan vieiv ofthe lock plate and the fitting' cooperating therewith, showing a portion or the'. door structure; and the ele'- vati shaft; A Fig. e. is a side elevation from the right or Fig: 3 i.

Fig. 5' is a. view,.s'im`ilar ,to Fig. 4, showing anot'herembodimentl `of the invention; and

Fig. G is a plan' viiv of the form of the inventionshown in Fig. 5.

Like letters` refer to'lile parts throughout unserern views.

s, In` the embodiment of my invention shown in .the dratings, I hate illustrated it in connection with a typel of door employing two oppositely i'novable, vertically sliding door sections a. and o, the upper section a being of relatively greater Weight than the lower section ZJ so as to' impart to the door a normal tendency to close when opened. Said sections are connected bythe-usual chain and bar suspension members 'c passing over the Ypulleys '0.' adjacent the lintel'of the door opening. Within' the elevator' shaft, the wall' of' which is indicated at d, and at opposite sides of the door'opening indicated at cZ, arel the usual vertically extending angular rails c, having secured thereto guide rails e cooperating With-'the shoes afand b upon the door sections a and Z; respectively. The suspension members c' are connected with lugs a2 adjacent the bttom of the door section al. and nfith air-angular hanger bar f carried by the top ofthe section o and having laterally projecting endsy f projecting beyond the rails c. The louter door section 7j is also provided ivith a top bar b2 superimposed upon the said hanger bar, saidb'ar o2 being of snflicient Width to substantially span the gap between the sill dtofthe door opening andT the platform or an elevatorV car, to form what is knotvnasa truckable door structure.

This lconstriiction is oldl and ivell linowvn to the art and merely typies the general characterof doors in combination with which my invent-ion is adapted to be utilized.

Iii-'smaller sizes otelevator doors, it has been a practice to use a stop only on one of the rails e and a combined stop and latch mechanism upon the other rail, While in larger sizes of doors, a combined stop and latch mechanism is used upon bothrails. In

the accompanying drawings, I have shown the* invention apjil'iei-l to a smaller type of door, although, it is apparent that to apply `the combined stopv and latch mechanism to both rails would involve merely duplication oftliis mechanism in the door structure.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the combined lock and latch mechanism comprises a lock plate g permanentiv attached to one' of the rails c at lthe factory, in a position which, when' the rail is installed in the elevator shaft, will bringsaid plate below the sill ofthe door opening. This plate g is provided With horizontally extend ingprojections or teeth g projecting beyond the edge' of the rail e.

Coperating with the plate g, is a fitting comprising a base 7L having a side flange 7p adapted to bear upon one tace of' the lock plate g, an overhung portion 7b2 adapted to project vacross the edge ot said plate r/ and a plate 7112- eitending parallel with the flange h and having thereon teeth 7l," adapted to cooperate ivith the teeth g upon the lock` plateg. The top of the plate 7b3 is recessed at the edge thereof towardv the Wall of the elevator shaft, to torni a stop e adapted to receive the projecting end f of the hanger bar f of the lower door section o.

Pivotally mounted upon the said fitting, is an oscillatory latch lever j, one end of which has slid'ably mounted therein a bolt 1" normally thrust by a spring j2 carried bythe said lever y'. into the path of movement of the end ff o :t' the said hanger bar Thevloiver end of the lever j is provided with an impact member 7'3 adapted to be engaged by a. shoe r carri ed'by an elevator car for the purpose of makiiig the latch mechanism operative ivhen a car is substantially level with the sill oi the opening closed by the door, and inoperative at all? other times.

In the construction shoivn in the accompanying drawings, the lever 7' is so overhalancedf as to impart to it a normal tendencjY toward a movement which Will bring the bolt j out of the path or moiv'ement oi the end ot the hanger bar, although, means other than gravity mayv be relied upon, if desired, for securing this action o't the latch lever. The lever 7' is also provided -With a stop 7'4 adapted to engage the base It of the fitting, to insure accuracy in the positioning of the latch bolt j fivhen a car is position to be in operative relation to the impact member 7%.

To facilitate the adjustment of the latch niechanism'vhen installing the door structu re, l preferably make the impact member js adjustable in relation to the lever y', by'a slot and bolt connection y' between the said impact member and said lever;

The lock plate g has a vertically extending ceuntersunk slot therethrough indicated at g2- in Fig. l of the drawings, and adapted to register therewith is a slot It through the flange it" of the adjustable fitting, through which slots and bolts opening in the plate if, bolts Z may pass to secure said tting and said lock plate in any adjusted position. In the accompanying drawings, I have shown three such bolt openings while only two bolts are employed, the additional bolt opening being provided to permit the shifting of one of the bolts in order to increase the range of adjustment of the fitting. j

The teeth Ir* and g constitute cooperating interlocking members, by means of which the stop z' and the latch lever may be simultaneously adjusted toward or away from the sill of the door opening, without varying the distance between said stop z' and the bolt j,

. which distance is predetermined when assembling' the combined vstop and latch mechanism in the factory, and remains constant so as to properly position said stop and said bolt at all times so that the former will, when the door is opened, engage the lower edge of the projecting end of the hanger bar and the latter will. engage the upper edge thereof.

The base li of the adjustable fitting is provided with studs m-m in which is slidably mounted a spring sustained plunger a positioned in the plane of movement of the hanger bar f so as to be engaged thereby when the door is approaching the limit of its downward movement. The plunger n is provided with a spring seat a', between which and the stud m, is seated a spring a2 having the two-fold function of a cushioning spring for the door section as it is opened, and a starting spring for insuring the release of the latch member and an initial upward impulse of the door after a car leaves the floor level and the shoe 7c has passed from. its operative .relation to the impact member js.

The latch lever j is provided with a large hub portion indicated at o, adapted to fit between the flange h and either of two studs p-p carried by the base 7L ofthe adjustaliile fitting', said lever bcing'mounted in relation to said fitting by means of the bearing pin g. I provide two studs p-p in order to standardize the fitting and permit its use with doors having hanger bars of Y different depths. Ordinarily, these hanger bars are either three or 4four inches deep,

according to the size of the door, so that by spacing the centers of the openingsthrough said studs,lon`e inch apart, the same fittings may be used with either arthree orafour inch hanger bar, When using a three inch hanger bar, the pin g willbe passed through a lug p while with a four inch hanger bar, the pin will be passed through the lug p. When the lug p is used, the lug p is broken away from the base so as to leave clearance for the spring i2.

' The base nflange t, overhang h2 and plate h3 of the adjustable fitting, must be so constructed and associated as to prevent movement of any of these parts in relation to the other, it being necessary, in order to preserve the distance between the stop i and the bolt j to have the fitting and its appurtenances move as aunit.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, these parts are shown as being formed; of one integral casting but when manufacturing these parts in large quantities, foundry difficulties and warping during annealing Vmay make it desirable, as a matterof economy, to make the plate h3 separate from the other portions of the device andY provide coperating connecting means whereby in adjusting the fitting, said plates must have movement in unison. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the structure is identical to that heretofore described, with the exception that the plate h3 is cast in a separate piece from, and united with, the overhang h2 by means of tongues 1 carried by said overhang' and cooperating sockets r in the plate h3. This form of the invention also differs from that shown in Figs. l to et, in that the slot h* instead of being of sufficient width to permit the bolts Z to pass completely therethrough and engage the countersunk slot g2 in the plate g, is sufficiently narrow to cause the head of the bolt to engage the flange 7L', thus insuring the proper binding of said flange upon the plate g, and preserving the proper relation between said flange and the plate 7a3. The various lugs m-/m/ and 72-79 are preferably cast integrally with the base it. Y

When only one combined stop and latch mechanism is used in a door structure, the other rail c has permanently secured thereto aplate s similar to the plate g and an adjustable stop s thereon secured in relation Vthereto by means of the bolts s2. VThis construction forms no part of my present invention, and is merely used in order to with the distance between the stop a' and the bolt y" approximating the depth of the hanger bar of the door section to be used. W'hen these parts are assembled in the factory, it is possible to secure a iiXed definite relation between the stop z' and' the bolt y" which is very diflicult to secure, if the stop and the latch members are capable of relative movement toward or from each other.

1n installing the door structure, the doors are hung in the usual manner, and the itting is passed over the plate g with the teeth if and g so enmeshed as to cause the projecting ends f in the hanger bar f to engage the stop z' when the truck bar of the door section is on substantially the level of the sill 032. It is merely necessary to slecure the proper adjustment of the fitting to bring the stop to this point, since irrespective of the adjustment ot' the fitting, the relation of the stop a' and the bolt y" will always be such as to properly engage opposite edges of said hanger bar. Then the stop has been properly located, it is merely necessary to insert and tighten the bolts Z thus preventing any likelihood of a loss ot the adjustment. rlhese bolts themselves are relieved of practically all strain by the tooth formation above referred to.

The manner ot installing the form of the invention of Figs. 5 and 6 is substantially like that heretofore described, except that by reason ofthe plate h3 being separable from the overhang 7b2, said plate may be moved away from the plate g sufficiently to permit the teeth h4 to clear the teeth g and thus facilitate adjustment ot the fitting.

`When the combined stop and latch mechanism is permanently secured to the rail u, the normal position of the bolt j will be at one side ot the plane ot movement ot the hanger bar When a car comes to rest at a door opening CZ, however, the shoe 7c will engage the impact member thus rocking the lever j, until the stop jt of the lever j engages the base plate 7L. When the lever is in this position, the bolt j will be projected across the plane of movement of the hanger bar. so that when the door is opened, and said hanger bar engages said bolt, it will recede Within the opening in the lever in which it is mounted, against the tension of the spring f/'Z thus permitting the passage ot the hanger bar. immediately thereafter the projecting end f, of the hanger Ibar will engage the plunger n, forcing it downwardly against the tension of the spring n? thus cushioning the rdoor in lthe final stage of its descent until it engages the stop As the hanger bar engages the stop i, the spring jg will torce the bolt y" across the upper edge of the hanger bar, thus locking the door in its opened position.

So long as the car remainsat the door opening, the bolt j will remain operative to prevent the closing of. the door. is soon, however, as the car leaves this floor, the shoe ,t passes out ot its operative relation lto the impact member permitting the latch lever j to oscillate slightly, this movement being assisted by the upward thrust of the plunger 'n from its spring n2 which imparts a` starting impulse to the door and insures the proper actuationy of the latch lever. The section 0, being heavier than the section insures the complete closing of the door.

.The advantages of' other structural characteristics in the combined stop and latch mechanism have been heretofore described and further consideration thereof is believed unnecessary,

The essential characteristic of the invention is `the structure of the combined stop and latch mechanism by which the mechanism may be readily adjusted vertically of the rail c and set in any adjusted position without varying the fixed predetermined relation of the stop z' and the'bolt'j.

lt is not my intention to limit the invention to the details of construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, such details bcing merely those incidental to the adaptation of the invention to one type of door, and `being capable of variation to adapt the invention to different types oi doors, without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is l. An elevator door embodyingl therein the combination with an overbalanced, downwardly movable, sliding door section, having a laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and side rails secured adjacent the door opening carrying guides cope ating with said door, of a combined stop and latch member comprising a lock plate permanently secured to a side rail, a iitting having a stop thereon, a. latch member carried by said itting, said stop and said latch member being adapted to receive said hanger bar between them Vwhen the door is opened, and said fitting and said lock plate being provided with cooperating means whereby said stop member and said latch member may be simultaneously adjusted without varying the distance between them, and means securing said fitting and said lock plate in any adjusted position, and means carried by an elevatol` car coperating with said latch member whereby the release ot the hanger bar is prevented while a car is'at the door opening.

2. An elevator door embodying therein the combination with an overbalanced, downwardly movable, sliding door section having a laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and side rails secured adjacent the door openiifrg carrying guides coperating with iso said door, of a combined stop and latch meniber ycomprising a lock plate having a j sequence of teeth thereon extending beyond saidside rail and presented toward thedoor section, permanently secured to a siderail, a

yfitting comprising a base, a 'side flange adapted to engage one side of said look plate,

an overhang projecting across said loci; platejand a toothed plate having a stop at hanger bar when the door is opened, and

means whereby the cooperating teeth upon said lock plate and said other plate may be held in the operative position, and means carried by an elevator car cooperating with said lat-ch member whereby the release kof the hanger bar is prevented while a car is at the door opening.

3. An elevator door embodying therein the combination with an overbalanced, downwardly movable, sliding door section having a laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and side rails secured adjacent the door opening carrying guides cooperating with said door, of acombined stop and latch member comprising a lock plate having a sequence of teeth thereon extending beyond said side rail, and presented toward the door section, permanently secured to a side rail, a itting comprising a base, a side flange adapted to engage one side of said lock plate, an overhang projecting across said lock plate and a toothed plate separable from said overhang, said plate cnd said overhang being connected by interlocking members, and said plate having a stop at the top thereof and teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the teeth upon said lock plate, a latch member mounted upon the baseof said fitting, said stop being adapted to engage the bottom, and said latch member being adapted to engage the top, of said hanger bar when the door is opened, and means whereby the cooperating teeth upon said lock plate and said other plate may be held in the operative position, and means carried by an elevator car cooperating with said latch member whereby the release of the hanger bar is prevented while a car is at the door opening.

4. An elevator door embodying therein the combination with an overbalanced,V downwardly movable, sliding door sectionv having ay laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and side rails secured adjacent the door opening carrying guides cooperating with said door, of a combined stop and latch member comprising, a lock plate havinga sequence of teeth thereon extending beyond said side rail and presented toward the door section, permanently secured to a side rail, a fitting comprising a base, a side flange adapted to engage one side of said lock plate, an overhang projecting across said lock plate kand a toothed vplate having a stop at the top thereof and teeth thereon adapted to Cooperate with thevteeth uponthe said lock plate, a latch member n'lountcd upon the base of said fitting, Vsaid stop being adapted to engage the bottom, and said latch member being adapted to engage the top, vof said hanger bar when the door is Opened, said lock plate having a vertically extending slot therethrough, 'and bolts passing through said slot and engaging said fitting, whereb the cooperating teeth upon said lock plate and said other plate may be ,held

in theoperative position, and means carried by an elevator car cooperating with said latch member whereby the release of the Yh anger bar is prevented while a car is at the door opening.

5. An elevator door embodying therein the combination with an overhalanced, downwardly movable, sliding door section having a laterally projecting hanger bar thereon, and side rails secured adj acent the door opening carrying guides cooperating.

with said door, of a combined stop and latch member comprising a lock plate having a sequence of teeth thereon extending beyond said side rail, and presented toward the door section, permanently secured to a side rail, a fitting comprising a base, a side flange adapted to engage one side of said lock plate, an overhang projecting across said lock plate and a toothed plate separable from said overhang, interlocking members upon said plate andV said overhang, said plate having a stop at the top thereof and teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the teeth upon said lock plate, a latch member mounted upon the base of said fitting, said stop being adapted to engage the bottom, and said latch member being adapted to engage the top, of said hanger bar when the dooris opened, said lock plate having a vertically extending slot, and said toothed plate and said side flange having openings therethrough and bolts passing through said slot andV said openings respectively and engaging said toothed plate and said side ilange, whereby the cooperating teeth upon said lock plate and saidother plate may be held in the operative position, and means carried by an elevator car cooperating with said latch member whereby the release of the hanger bar is prevented while a car is at the door opening.

6. .An elevator door embodying therein the combination with an overbalanced,

with said door, of a combined lstop and latch meInber comprising `a lock vplate :hav- 'ing a vvsequence of teeth 'thereon extending beyond said side rail 'and presented toward the door section,k vpermanently Secured to a side rail, a litting comprising a base, a plurality of lugs spaced apart on said base and each having an opening therein, 'a side flange adapted to engage one Side of said lool; plate having openings therein register ing with the openings in said l'ugs Irespectively, an overhang projecting across said lock pla-te and a toothed plate having a stop at the top thereof and teeth thereon adapted to copera'te with Ithe teeth upon said lock plate, a `latch .membre/r, means whereby Said latch lnelnber 'may be pivotally mounted between Said side flange and either 'of said Ai ,29% ,est

lugs, Vupon the base ol Said fitting, said stop being Vadapted to engage the bottom, and said latch member 'being adapted to engage the top, of said hanger bar when the door is opened, and means Vvwhereby the cooperating teeth upon said look plate and said otl'ier plate may be held in the operative position, and ln'eans carried by 'an 'elevator car cooperating With Said latch "Inenb'ier whereby the release of the hangerbar is prevented while a car 'is at the door opening.

In witness whereof, I hereunto alii): my signature, in the presence of two snbs'cribng Witnesses, this 26th day rof NoxelynberlQl.

BENJAMIN IVEXLER. lVi'tnesses:

F. T. vINEN'iwoivln7 BERTHA MUELLER. 

